Flush valve



W. S. WHITE FLUSHYVALVE Mayl 5, 1931.

- 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed De. a, 1927 K M .A oO

tov www Q Ill` May 5, 1931. s, WHITE 1,803,418

FLUSH VALVE Filed Deg. 8. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ga \"f/// A 57\ l l 11llllfllll) Patented May 5, 1931 WILLIAM S1. WHITE, OF DENVER, COLORADOFLUSH VALVE Application mea members, les?. serial Nt. 238,516.

4This invention pertains to flushing valves and more particularly tothatf type of valve having a piston valvereciprocable in a cylinder foropening and closing communication 5 between a water inlet and'awateroutlet and manually operable means `for displacing the piston valve fromits seat for opening the outlet, the valve mechanism returning after apredetermined period to its closing position.

A valve and operating mechanism hereinafter more particularly disclosedis an improvement upon `the valve and operating mechanism disclosed andclaimed in my Reissue Patent No. 16,764, dated yOctober 4, 1927. Y i

One of the primary objectsof my invention is to provide a valvemechanism of the above described character requiring no obstruction inthe water outlet for facilitating the closing movements of the valvewhere'-l by the water passing out of the valveis per-VI mittedsubstantially free 'and unobstructed movement to the fixture and thefixture is given the full bene-lit Vof the quantity and pressure of thewater atthe supply or source. Another'obj ect is to providela novelpiston valve arrangement or valve of the above mentioned character whichmay easily be forced to its seat by the flow Vof water, between theinlet and outlet, in its passage gripping aV flange or projectionpreferably integrally formed on the lowerend of a part of the pist-onand a pistony valve having accessible regulating and control mechanismwhich may be easily and cheaply manufactured, assem-v bled and operated.In this` connection the cylinder in which` the pistonvalve operates isarranged to project at least partially over and preferably substantially'across the water inlet but in spaced `relation thereto in order tocause the water from the inlet in' its now path to the outlet to exertits forceV on` the fiange orprojection on the lower end Aofthe j pistonand force the piston to its seat.

Another object is to provide a piston vcylinderV of peculiarconstruction and arrangement so that the cylinder forms a removable capfor the casing, yet is supported in the supply or valve chamber in aproper and correct manner. In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention the adjustable screw forlimconnection viting the rise of thepiston is arranged :in

with the cylinder inra novel mantravelV or approach toward its seat, toslow it A down and to give the water a chance to refill the waterpressure th storage chamber and `restorethe ereln, whereby chattering orhammering is minimized if not obviated and the quiet closing of thevalve is assured.

A still further object of the invention isto provide a novel andextremely advantageous arrangement for raising theA piston valve fromits seat and an arrangement for returning the manually operable means toits initial inoperative position quickly, silently and effectively,thelast menti-cned arrangement including a spring never subjected tocontact with thewater of. the valve and the former including anarrangement whereby the working parts of the valve may be operated by adirect lift but easily and quickly.

Many fu rther objects, the advantages and uses of the invention, and thearrangement of the parts ofa preferred form, the constructionofsuchvparts and their operation will be or should become readilyappreciated after perusal of the following descrip-tion and claims 'andafter viewing the drawings in which: e

Fig. l is avertical sectional view through a valve constructed inaccordance with the invention,

Fic'. V2'is a section taken alonur the line e; c :D n

2 2 ,of Fig. 1,

along; the

a horizontal sectional view taken line 3-3 of F ig. `l showing thevvalve o eratino mechanism for the valve Fig. l is surface ofanelevational view of the inside the handle,

Fig. "5 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower end constructie and sevFig. 6 is a detail elevational View of the handle pivot crank.

Considering for the time being Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that thecasing generally designated 2 is in this instance of elbow shape havingan inlet water connection 3 and a water outlet connection 4 betweenwhich the casing is enlarged to provide a valve chamber 5. The waterinlet connection is connected through a thimble or sleeve 6 andshouldered ring nut 7 to the usual water shut-off valve, one type ofwhich is generally designated 8 while the water outlet connection 4 isadapted to be connected to the usual closet or bowl or other fixtureinlet in the ordinary manner. T he casing is also provided with anenlarged portion 9 adjacent its outlet end and below the chamber forconnection of the valve'operating mechanism as will be later described.

Inteiiorly of the chamber 5, the casing 2 is provided with two, three(in this instance three) or more integrally formed guides 11 each ofwhich has its interior face 12 formed as a segment of a cylinderconcentric with -a portion of the piston valve to be hereinafterdescribed forguiding the same. Above the guides a depending-cylindricalflange 13 `of a. cap member'14 which at its upper end is threadedlyconnected as at 15 in the upper open end of the casing 2, provides acylinder within which-the piston end of the piston valve is arranged toreciprocate up and down, its upwardnovement manually controlled, thatis, positively induced by manual operation and its downward movementeffected under the iniiuences of gravity andthe pull of the waterpassing from the inlet to the outlet while, of course suitable control'mechanism is provided for regulating the closing rate. Betweencooperative shoulders 16 formed on the member 14 andcasing 2 a washer orgasket 17 is placed to malte these parts watertight.

The piston valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve member 18having a diaphragm or wall 19 intermediate its valve seat end 20 and itspiston head end 21. A valve seat 22, preferably of rubber, isl held inplace in the end 2O between a depending iiange on the member 18 and aianged head 23 on a spider plug 24 screwed into the bottom of the member18 while the piston head end 21 is internally threaded to receive awater How regulating chambered cap or piston head "1 member 25 between afia-nge 26 of which and theend 21 a cup-shaped friction washer 27 issecured. The diaphragm 19 is spaced from the lower end of the member 25and from a ball seat 28 formed on a bridge portion 29 of member 25, toprovide a chamber 30 which has communication pasta ball check valve 31therein and through a valve vseated opening 32 in the diaphragm 19,through one or more channels or openings 33 in a spider diaphragm 34provided in the valve member 18 and through openings 35 in the spider 36of spider plug 24, with the outlet 4 whenever the ball 31 is raised fromits seat by operating pin 37 which is journalled for sliding movementsin spiders 34 and 36. The pin 37 is prevented from dropping down by anintegral iiange 38. The chamber 30 also has communication at all timeswith the inlet through an orifice 39 formed in its side wall in aposition where it w11 be most eiiicent and effective for its purpose.

The piston head member 25 is cored out to provide a chamber 40, acontinuation of the chamber 30, an auxiliary chamber 41 and a passage 42connecting them. The chamber 41 is open at its upper and lower ends, theupper end being accessibly closed by a screw plug 43 andthe lowerendbeing closed by an interiorly seating ball check valve 44 eX- cept for afluid bleed passage 45 therepast. The check valves 31 and 44 are bothadapted to be opened, the first mechanically through the manualoperating mechanism including the pin 37 and the `latter automaticallythrough the action of the water when the ball 31 is lifted.

The lower end of the casing 2 above'the manual operating mechanism forthe valve is formed or provided with a circumferentially extending waterreactance shoulder 45', a circumferential depression 46 and acircumferential seat 47 upon lwhich the piston valve seats when closed,`while circumferentially about the lower end of the'valve portion of thepiston valve a circumferentially extending water reactance shoulder 48is provided. The purpose of these reactance shoulders and the depression46 will be explained in connection with the operation of the valve. Theguide surfaces 12 of the ribs 11 serve to guide the lower portion of thepiston valve in its up and down movements by engagement with the sidesof thc portion forming the circumferential shoulder 48 while the upperor piston portion of the piston valve isguided in the cylinder 13.

The extent to which the piston valve may rise in the casing isdetermined by an adjustment screw 49 which is threadedly engaged in'anopening 50 in the top of cap mem.- ber 14 Yestablishing communicationbetween the interior of the member and a stufng box recess 51. Packing52 is disposed about the screw '49 within the recess 51and is compressedand held thcrein'by stuiiing gland sleeve nut 53. A housing cap 54protects these parts. i

The manual operating mechanism for the valve is illustrated more indetail in Fig. et seq. from which it will be observed that a lever 55arranged with one end directly beneath the pin 37 for direct upwardthrust thereon is pivotally secured at its opposite end on a pivot 56secured between a pair of lugs V57 formed in the enlargement 9 on thecasing 2 and is operated through anV oscillatable crank 58 one end 59 ofwhich is pivoted in a screw cap 61 screwed into the casing and the otherend 62 of which is pivotallyvmounted through a stuffing box and theresurrounded by packing and stuffing boX gland nut 63.' The crank is inturn oscillated by means of a suitable handle 64 secured on the extendedend 65 of a spring housing generally designated 66 whichiscentrally'keyed to the outer end of the crank pivot .62 and securedthereon by a `washer and a cap screw 67.

, The spring housing 66 is, substantially, of cup-shape and on itsinterior is provided with a cylindrical flange G8 and an arcuateabutment lug 69 integral with the housing 66. Between similar arcuatebounds onV the eX- terior of the casing an arcuate abutment lug 70 isformed and arranged to permit the lug 69 to swing back and forththereby. A coiled or other spring 7l, when the parts are assembled, hasitsends bent outwardly to embrace the ends of both abutment lugs 69 and70 so that when the handle 64 is moved in either direction from apredetermined position one end of the spring will be held by theabutment 70 asthe other end is being moved away by the abutment 69.Thetension of the spring tends to return the handle to its initialposition.

In operation, assuming the shut-off valve 8 is open and it is desired toraise the piston valve for flushing purposes, vthe handle 64 is presseddownwardly or `upwardly which through the lever 55 raises the pin 37into engagement with the ball check 31. The ball check3l is thus raisedfrom its seat allowing Vwater in chambers 307 40 `and 41 toflow outthrough the openings 32, 33 and 35. The ball 3l thereupon engages theseat 28 and upon continued upward movement of the pin urges the pistonvalve upwardly into the cylinder 13 until its further upward movement islimited by the setting of the adjustment screw 49. During this timewater trapped in the storage chamber above .the piston head has escapedto the outlet by raising the ball check 44 from-its seat and passingout` through the auxiliary chamber 4l, the chamber 40 and 30, theorifice 32 and the passages 33 and 35.

Vhen the valve handle 64 is released ther springl 71 returns it to itsinitial inoperative position, whereupon the check valve 31 closes andthe piston valve is closed by the combined action of gravity and waterflow from the inlet to the outlet. It will be noted that the cylinder 13projecting substantially across the inlet opening although in spacedrelation to the interior wall of the valve chamber in this arrangement,causes the inlet water which flows circumferentially about the cylinderand between the cylinder and interior wall of the casingtofbe directeddownwardly toward the outlet. As the water rushes past the lower endofthe cylinder 13 and between the guides 11 it strikes against thereactance shoulder `48 on the lower end of the piston valve and tends todraw the piston valve downwardly toward its seat,

water from the inlet in the meantime passage chamber above the pistonhead the tend-V ency toward a vacuum is broken therein and the valve isallowed slowly to descend toward its seat.

As water rushing from the inlet to the outlet would tend to draw thevalve to its seat before the storage chamber was completelyfilled,`which action would result in what is known as water-hammer, Ihave devised means for inhibiting this action. This arrangement includesthe water reactance shoulder 45', the circumferential recess or groove46, the cupped washer 27 andthe location of the refill orifice 39.During the closing movement of the valve and more strongly toward theend of its closing movement, the flow of the water toward the outlet issomewhat retarded by the reactance shoulder V45 and the groove 46 sothat it tends toback up and react against the underside of the cuppedwasher 27 to prevent the valve from returning too quickly to its seat.At the same time water flowing directlyfin from the inlet 3 is forcedthrough the orifice-39 into the chamber 30. Viith this arrangementwater-hammer is eliminated;

A flush valve constructed in accordance with the essence of theinvention herein described-is'positive in operation, is simple andeconomicalV to manufacture, assemble, repair and replace, successfullyeliminates waterhammer Iand has many advantages too numerous to bementioned herein although all will be or should be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Consequently, while I have illustrated and describedwhat is at present a pre-` ferred form of construction embodying myinvention I do not desire to be limited to such construction or thedetails thereof but only by the spirit of the invention and scope of theappended claims.

. I claim:

1. In a flush valve of the character described, a piston valvecomprising, a hollow cylindrical body having a transverse diaphragmintermediate its ends, said body having a valve seat at one end andadapted to be connecte-d to a pistonV headl member at its other end, thewall of said body having a fluid bleed opening therethrough above saiddiaphragm and said diaphragm having Van opening therethrough and a valveseat surrounding thc opening and facing said other end, a piston headsecured to said body at said other end and provided with a primarychamber and a secondary chamber, said primary chamber having an openingto the in terior of said body above the seat in said diaphragm and anopening to said secondary chamber, and said secondary chamber having anopening adapted to communicate with the interior of a control chamber,avalve seat about the last said opening, gravity closing valves for thelast said valve seat and the seat in said diaphragm, and a cylinder wallengaging friction washer secured between said head and body.

2. In a. flush valve of the character described, a piston valvecomprising, a hollow cylindrical body having a transverse diaphragmintermediate its ends, said body having a. valve seat at one end andadapted to be connected to a piston head member at its other end, thewall of said body having a Huid bleed opening therethrough, saiddiaphragm having an opening therethrough and a valve seat surroundingthe opening and facing said other end, a piston head detachably securedto said body and provided with a primary chamber and a secondarychamber, said primary chamber having an opening into the interior ofsaid body above the seat in said diaphragm and an opening to saidsecondary chamber and said secondary chamber having an opening adaptedto communicate with the interior of a control chamber, a valve seatabout the last said opening interior of said secondary chamber, gravityclosing valves for the last said valve seat and the seat in saiddiaphragm, and a cylinder wall engaging friction washer secured betweensaid head and body below the op-ening from said secondary chamber to theinterior of said control chamber andabove said fluid bleed opening.

3. In ay iiush valve of the character de-Y scribed, a piston valvecomprising, a. hollow cylindrical body having a transverse diaphragmintermediate its ends, said body having a valve seat one end and adaptedto be connected to a piston head member at its other end, the wall ofsaid body having a iiuid bleed opening therethrough and said diaphragmhaving an opening therethrough and a valve seat surrounding the openingand facing said other ena, a piston head securedV valves for the lastsaid valve seat and the seat in said diaphragm, a cylinder wall engagingfriction washer secured between said head and body, and means detachablysecured to the valve seat end of said body for rendering inoperative thevalve seated on said diaphragm.

4. In a flush valve of the character described, a piston valvecomprising, a hollow cylindrical body having a transverse dia phragmintermediate its ends and having a valve seat at one end and adapted tobe connected to a piston head member at its other end, the wall of saidbody having a fluid bleed opening therethrough, said diaphragm having anopening therethrough and a valve seat surrounding the opening and facingsaid other end, a piston head detachably secured to said body andprovided with a primary chamber and a secondary chamber, said primarychamber having an opening into the interior of said body above the seatin said diaphragm and an opening to said secondary chamber and saidsecondary chamber having an opening adapted to communicate with theinterior of a control chamber, a valve seat about the last said openinginterior of said secondary chamber, gravity closing valves for the lastsaid valve seat and the seat in said diaphragm, a cylinder wall engagingfriction washer secured between said head and body below the openingfrom said secondary chamber to the interior of said control chamber andabove said Huid bleed opening, and means detachably secured to the valveseat end of said body for rendering inoperative the valve seated on saiddiaphragm.

5. In a flush valve having a casing, an operating handle mechanismcomprising a valve actuating shaft journalled in the valve casing andextending therefrom at one end, means operated upon movement of saidshaft in one direction for operating the valve, a substantiallycup-shaped disc secured to said end of said shaft with its mouthdirected toward said casing, arcuate abutments concentrically disposedadjacent one another `in spaced relation to said shaft on said disc andcasing, one of said abutments being on said casing and the otherinterior of said cup of said disc, a spring surrounding said shaft andhaving its ends secured between said casing and said disc by saidabutments and concealed by said disc for returning the shaft to itsnormal inoperative position, and means on said disc whereby the same maybe manually operated. I

6. In a flush valve having a casing, an operating handle mechanismcomprising, a valve actuating shaft journalled in the casing andextending therefrom at one end, means operated upon movement of saidshaft in one direction for operating the valve, a substantiallycup-shaped disc secured to said end of said shaft with its mouthdirected toward said casing, arcuate abutments concentrically disposedadjacent one another in spaced relation to said shaft on said disc andcasing, one of said abutments being on said casing and the otherinterior of said cup of said disc, a spring surrounding said shaft andhaving its ends secured between said' casing and said disc by saidabutments and concealed by said disc for returning the shaft to itsnormal inoperative position, a stufling boX formed in the casing aboutsaid shaft, a packing gland for said stuliing box, and means on saiddisc whereby the same may be manually operated.

7 In a valve, a casing member having an operating shaft openingtherethrough, a shaft passing through said opening and rotatabletherein, a handle secured to the outer end of said shaft, a projectionon the outer side of said casing member spaced from said shaft anddirected outwardly toward said handle, a projection on saidv handlespaced from said shaft and directed inwardly toward said casing member,said projections normally overlapping one another, and a coiled springabout said shaftand having its ends engaged with said projections.

8. In a flush valve, a casing provided with a cylinder, a valve chamberand a water inlet, the chamber having a restricted portion at its bottomand a water outlet therethrough with a valve seat surrounding the outletspaced downwardly a substantial distance from the top of the restrictedportion, a piston valve having an annular reactance shoulder and justbelow it an enlarged bottom portion having a diameter slightly less thanthe diameter of said restricted portion and adapted for reciprocatingmovement therein, the lower face of the piston being adapted for seatingon said valve seat, the upper portion of the piston having an annulardownwardly facing reactance shoulder and means bearing on the interiorof the cylinder for guiding its movement therein, an upwardly facingreactance shoulder in the chamber immediately above said restrictedportion adapted to coact with the upper reactance shoulder on the pistonto retard further downward movement of the piston just before and afterthe lower enlarged portion of the piston enters said restricted portion,a pressure chamber in the cylinder above the piston, a passage throughsaid piston for connecting said inlet with said pressure chamber and acheck valve therefor, and a second passage in the piston connected withspaced downwardly a substantial distance from the top of the restrictedportion, a piston valve having an annular reactance shoulder and justbelow it an enlarged bottom por! tion having a diameter slightly lessthan the diameter of said restricted portion and adapted forreciprocating movement therein, the lower face of the piston beingadapted for seating on said valve seat, -the upper portion of theYpiston having an annular downwardly facing reactance shoulder and meansbearing on the interior of the cylinder for guiding its movementtherein, an upwardly facing reactance shoulder in the chamberimmediately above said restricted portion adapted to coact with theupper reactance shoulder on the piston to retard further downwardmovement of the piston just before and after the lower enlarged portionof the piston enters said restricted portion, a pressure chamber in thecylinder above the piston, a passage ,through said piston for connectingsaid inlet with said pressure chamber and a check valve therefor, asecond passage in the piston connected with the first passage andopening to said outlet and a check valve therein, and manually operablemeans'for lifting said second check valve to open said second passageand for lifting the piston valve olf its seat.

In witness of the foregoing I aiiix my signature.

WILLIAM S. WHITE.

the first passage and opening to said outlet and a check valve therein.

9. In a flush valve, a casing provided with a cylinder, a valve chamberand a water inlet, the chamber having a restricted portion at its bottomand a water outlet therethrough with a valve seat surrounding the outlet

